I could have danced all Night
by stoneygem
Summary: A short fluffy piece about a ministry ball, two very bored people, an idea and magic beyond all others...


A/N: Warning! Mood piece ahead. It's actually a combination out of a scene, which was cluttering my mind for months and a fantastic CD – if you don't get it from the title, which one I mean…you're missing out (take the original stage cast, will you). So, basically a fluffy one-shot to get me back into writing fiction.

Cookies to everybody, who catches all musicals referred to, lol.

Disclaimer: Yes I own it, that's why the main characters do act this way. Stop, maybe they really did? Hmmm…than I don't own the characters, but my clairvoyance…*g*

I could have danced all Night 

She was bored.  Bored stiff, honestly.  What had possessed her to agree to attend this party she didn't know.  Oh yes, she did know.  Her father had insisted on her attendance, since it would be her debut, and her sisters had told her it would be fun.  Where they had gotten this idea from was beyond her. 

Of course, it didn't seem such a bad idea to spend New Years Eve with her parents and some of her siblings at a ball at the ministry.  And surely the others were having fun, but all she wanted to do was run away.  This had to be the worst party ever, the horrible experience with Malfoy at the Yule ball last year not even coming close.

But here: old and stuffy people, horrible food, boring music, dull conversations like, "You attend Hogwarts?  Great school!  Oh you are head girl?  I'm sure the head boy is taking all those heavy duties from your fair shoulders.  Your favorite subject is Transfiguration?  You shouldn't plague your beautiful head with such a tedious subject."  All she wanted to do was scream. 

And to top it off, Malfoy and Black were in attendance too, either badmouthing her family or trying to worm their way into her good graces.  After the dances of duty, which she had gone through with her two brothers and her father, she mostly refrained from dancing to avoid the dreadful conversations, along with those men who were treating her like a piece of meat throughout the whole evening.

Why hadn't she stayed at school, where she could have partied with her friends and maybe even have seen something of *him*?  She was in love, she was sure of that.  But it was neither the time nor the place to act upon it. It was inappropriate, imprudent, and impossible – now.  But one day maybe….until then she would have to get through this ball first….

~~~~

He was bored, he could honestly say that.  Not only bored, but bored to death.  What he was doing here was beyond him.  Not that he had had much choice.  His being at this, -what did they call it?- 'dog and pony show', was more of a command performance than anything else.   The headmaster had insisted on his attendance, saying that it would be good if he mingled more with the "important people".

His scholarly works had made him a celebrity, and many considered him to be a man of the future.  The headmaster thought it would be good for his career to meet people of wealth and influence.  He didn't think so, being quite satisfied with his teaching position at Hogwarts.  He considered it a very rewarding career to educate young people.  He didn't need to be celebrated by the rich and the famous, and he did not enjoy mingling with society at all.

And this ball had to be one of the worst examples ever.  Of course, he arrived late, trying to postpone the inevitable.  But here he was among people with bigger egos than minds, answering the same questions over and over again, and hearing the same praise that came out of only one interest:  to be seen with a celebrity.  Therefore, conversations were dull and dancing wasn't on his mind, since there was no woman who could interest him…

He would have much preferred to stay at Hogwarts with a good book and some tea or hot chocolate, every now and then checking on the student party.  They had probably much more fun than he was having here.  There he probably would have liked to dance, maybe even with…no…not with her…

~~~~

And then he saw…. her!  She was sitting on a chair almost hidden behind the drapes, with such an annoyed look on her face that he almost laughed.  It was such a contrast to her appearance.  She looked stunning with her dark hair pulled up and piled loosely on her head, and the clinging dress of scarlet with a gold sash.  He smiled.  She could never resist representing her house. 

It was obvious that she wasn't enjoying the ball.  He saw both Malfoy and Black making their way up to her to woo her into Merlin knew what.  He saw the look of disgust on her face as she turned both of them down politely, but with a clear hint to stay well out of her way.  She could really stand on her own.

That was one of the reasons that he was falling for her, fast.  He knew it couldn't be.  Not now, not with her being his student – his star student.  It was inappropriate, imprudent, and impossible.  But there she was, breathtakingly beautiful and obviously bored out of her mind.   And then the idea came, the best idea he had in years….

She had finally found a place, where she could sit and not bothered by any unwanted attention.  She knew that she looked good, but still, what did the men think?  And Black that idiot, did he honestly believe that by teasing her about her choice of dress colors and calling her a 'little Gryffindor sucker', that he would get her to be interested in him?  The bloke must have been out of his mind.  She had told him in no uncertain terms that she was not interested in a closer acquaintance.  Really, life at Hogwarts had become much better since he and Malfoy had graduated two years ago. 

She settled back in the chair and heaved a sigh.  Oh, how she would have loved to dance.  But her brothers were otherwise occupied now and so she would probably not have another chance tonight.  She turned to look for her brothers, and then she saw …him! 

There he was and he was coming straight up to her.  Suddenly he stood in front of her and asked with that absolutely knockout twinkle:  "Shall we dance?"

There was only one answer she could give to this request.  "I'd love to."

He extended his hand, which she took and he led her over to the dance floor.  There he put his right hand to her waist and stood, with her right in his left hand.  She stepped into position and with a smile told him to hold her closer; then the music began….

[insert the Embassy Waltz here, lol….ooooooh, what mood music] 

She was flying; there was no other way to describe it.  She was flying - securely locked in his arms - but flying nonetheless.  The music made them swirl around in a serene, almost giddy waltz. 

She felt his arms around her and looked into his smiling face as he led her around the floor, and she could have sworn she was in heaven.  She felt like laughing out loud with pure happiness.  It was heaven being in a beautifully decorated and lit ballroom, dancing a delightful dance with a most wonderful man. 

He was in heaven, flying around the floor with this breathtaking creature.  Holding her tightly in his arms was the most wonderful feeling he had ever had.  The music seemed to make them float and fly at least several inches above the floor.  And seeing that annoyed scowl from earlier being replaced with laughter made him smile happily too. 

He could have danced with her like this forever.

She wished this dance would never end.

But soon enough this short piece of lived-through magic was over, and they had to return to reality. 

Even when the dance was over they stayed locked in each others arms with their eyes communicating their thoughts, still caught in a world of their own.  Reality broke into their perfect moment with one of her brothers stepping closer and saying, "Hey Minerva, great!  You finally decided to join the ball for real."  And he was hauled back to the present by the host clapping him on the back enthusiastically, exclaiming: "Dumbledore, you're finally here. There are some people you just have to meet."  Both were dragged to different corners of the room and reluctantly involved with their respective parties. 

She was in a daze.  She didn't know why, but suddenly life was wonderful…even this ball. Since he had begun to dance with her, she could have danced all night.  And she knew there would be a time when they would do exactly that.  Fly like this around the floor in each other's arms and not be dragged apart, but sharing a sweet kiss at the end of the dance.  One day…

He thought that one day they would attend another ball and there he would dance with her all night.  Nobody would interrupt them then, because she would be his.  Music was really a magic beyond all they could do.  They would share the magic again.

Looking across the room, he caught her eye and could see the same promise reflected.

One day, they would share a whole night locked in each other's arms, flying to the magic of music and love.

~~~

Liked it? Hated it? Fascinated? Disgusted? Bored? ….Please, let me know. There is that little button down there, be so kind to use it and leave me a review…oh and when you are at it, could you leave me one for "Under Attack" too? Thanks!


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